Best Picture

PREWRITING
1. Social Network
-relevant to the times
-funny
-attention getter
2. Toy Story 3
-humor for all ages
-smooth transition from previous films and through Andy's life
-loved the terror of the daycare and the toys
3. The King's Speech
-historical story
-captivating relationships
-powerful performance by Colin Firth
4. Inception
-complicated storyline
-amazing graphics
-in depth relationships that take the whole movie to figure out
-secrets that only unveil themselves at the end (and maybe not even then)
5. True Grit
-funny
-powerful performance by Hallie Steinfield
-the perfect role for Jeff Bridges
-Somewhat out of the ordinary role for Matt Damon, but still very well done
-captivating storyline
-good reflections by Mattie that tie the whole film together
6. Winter's Bone
-unique storyline
-complex community relationships
-that scene in the woods still sticks out in my mind, possibly as a way to convey the theme of the movie or the motivations of the character Ree
-look into a new (at least to me) culture

RATING

1.Social Network was a captivating story the brought to the surface a new, developing part of our culture, internet communication.  The story of Mark Zuckerberg and Eduardo Saverin highlights their accomplishment of Facebook and their pit falls, deception and lawsuits.  At first it is confusing as to what time a scene is occurring, but when you get into the speed of the film it all fits together, showing different perspectives and the consequences of their actions.  Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal of Zuckerberg was riveting.  I was able to see his difficulties with social interaction, his intelligence, and his deepest emotions, creating an all around complex and captivating character.  The performances by Garfield (Saverin) and Timberlake (Parker) elevated the complex web of ideas and egos that envelope this film.  Cinematically, this film was able to put multiple points in time together very smoothly, enhancing the meaning and comprehension of the story.  Because the scenes from the lawsuits are woven into the development of problems, I was able immediately see the effects of their actions, allowing me to understand the story and conflicts even more.  Also, the rapid scene changes show how fast Facebook was spreading, showing show fast Zuckerberg's life is spiralling out of control.  I placed Social Network ahead of all the other pictures up for best picture because it was the film that kept my attention the whole time.  I was never bored or looking at the clock.  I felt that the speed of the storyline kept me interested and the relationships between the characters kept the story fresh and original.  I placed it ahead of Toy Story 3 because it related more to the currently developing culture.
2.Toy Story 3 was as just as spectacular as the previous two films in the series.  The basic storyline of a kid growing up and toys getting given away is so true for any viewer, so it was easy to relate to the characters.  Also, the easily defined "good v. evil" relationship made the story easy to follow for any age.  The performance by the Character Woody once again gives the audience a sense of hope and leadership.  The other characters build each other up to help the whole situation.  Also, the "new" Buzz Lightyear adds another humorous aspect to the performance.  My favorite relationship in the film was the one of Barbie and Ken.  The connection between the two is so well known, which made the interaction with each other more hilarious, especially when they are trying on clothes.  Throughout the film, the camera is always placed so that it shows the relationship between two characters.  When the teddy bear first appears, the camera is looking down at the other toys, but when the teddy bear is finally "lost", the other characters are looking down at him.  It is a very simple, but yet still significant way to show the relationship between the characters.  Also, there are many shots throughout the film that zoom back, usually during a time, and shows how small the toys really are to their surroundings.  I put Toy Story 3 below the Social Network because I felt that the Social Network was more of an original idea and their were new, more in depth relationships to understand.  I put Toy Story 3 above The King's Speech because I felt that Toy Story 3 was able to hold the attention of the audience throughout the film, while there were points in The King's Speech when staying attentive was difficult.
3.The King's Speech was a touching and realistic portrayal of a defining moment in the world's history.  The journey of King George VI from a stuttering Duke in the shadows, to being the student Bertie, to a king leading his country through the war, was wonderfully shown.  The narration of the story also highlighted the relationships that King George VI had as support, motivation, and cause.  Colin Firth's performance was one of the best I have ever seen.  He was such a perfect fit for the role.  Firth was able to portray a self-conscious man who grows into a very noble and strong king.  He was able to show the frustration and appreciation of Bertie perfectly, making the film that much more realistic.  I think that without such a moving performance by Firth, The King's Speech could have failed at sending a message of determination and the importance of friendship.  Throughout the film there were moments were the microphone seemed to be staring at Bertie.  For example, in his final speech, the first shot of him is from the view of the microphone, making it seemed intimidating and giving it a human quality.  Throughout this speech, the shot becomes about King George VI and the people he is speaking to, showing how he overcame his stutter and became a king that could reassure his people even at a time of crisis.  I put The King's Speech below Toy Story 3, because I love comedic movies, so Toy Story 3 fit my idea of an ideal film more than The King's Speech.  But, I think that it says a lot that I put such a tense movie, although it did have comedic aspects, so high up on my ranking.  I put The King's Speech above Inception because there were times in Inception where I was totally lost and although I did enjoy the complex story line that forced me to pay attention, The King's Speech allowed me to become more involved with the characters and their relationships instead of trying to figure out what was going on. 
4.Inception was one of the most unique story lines that I have ever seen.  I know that this movie is suppose to make the viewer think and it did that exactly.  In order to understand the relationship of Cobb and Mal and the meaning behind the dream traveling, you really had to pay attention to every detail.  I think that the story is told in a very suspenseful way that forces you to use all of your previous knowledge to understand their actions.  But, I think that this often becomes so confusing that you get lost and the only way to understand the film fully is to see it a few times.  I think that Leonardo DiCaprio did a great job of showing the torn soul and mind of Cobb.  He was able to portray both sides of himself, the one that wanted to be with Mal and the one that wanted to go back to reality to be with his kids.  I think that Marion Cotillard, Mal, did a very nice job of becoming completely absorbed in the dream world, and showing the mental and emotion impacts of this devastating world.  I think the film was photographed beautiful.  Often times I was given the feeling of being in a dream.  Like, when Cobb almost gets stuck in between the buildings or when Cobb and Ariadne are in the elevator going to different levels of his dream, the elevator seems to become very narrow.  Also, I loved the closing shot of the totum.  Is it going to fall?!  I placed Inception below The King's Speech because I really enjoyed the historical aspect of The King's Speech.  I think that aspect gave me the satisfaction of knowing that this journey and accomplishment was actually made.  Also, Inception was often confusing and hard to follow.  I put this film above True Grit because it was a story line that provided the audience with more depth and it takes advantage of more unique shots and angles that allowed the film to connect more with the story.
5.True Grit is one of the only western films I have ever seen and it didn't disappoint.  The way the story was told provided me with a lot of insight.  I liked how the story was framed by the narration of Mattie reflecting on the events of her life.  For me this gave an action packed film more structure and stability.  I was very impressed with the performance of Hailee Steinfeld.  She was able to portray a stern exterior while still remaining a young girl at heart.  I think that Jeff Bridges was given the perfect role, he was the perfect picture of a crazy, old, drunken Marshall, while still showing off his paternal senses when Mattie was in danger.  One of my favorite things about the film was the various ways that the cinematographer shot Cogburn and Mattie riding.  There were shots from behind, in front, and from the side, showing the distance traveled.  For me this made the film much more interesting because the line of sight and focus was always changing.  Also, I think that the angles that were used for Mattie were perfect.  When she was trying to sell the ponies, the camera was pointed downward at her opponent, emphasizing her adult like nature.  I put True Grit after Inception because Inception had a more original storyline, which deserves a lot of recognition.  I put True Grit above Winter's Bone because True Grit never lost my interest, unlike Winter's Bone which frequently became to slow and monotonous to capture my full attention.
6.Winter's Bone was a film that opened my eyes to a new culture.  I was used to a storyline where someone overcomes all odds to accomplish their goal, but this story put a new spin on that idea.  When Ree overcomes obstacles, it isn't a positive accomplishment because she gets closer and closer to the devastating end that her father came to.  This story doesn't really have a "happy" ending, it has an ending where everything gets answered instead.  Jennifer Lawrence did an amazing job with the character Ree. She was able to portray an outsider who was fighting the system in order to save her family.  Her performance really pulled me into the film.  The other people in the community were able to highlight  their tough exteriors and ability to keep secrets, accentuating the lifestyle.  Throughout the film the lighting is very dim and there is little background noise, making the mood feel cold.  Also, the odd scene with the animals in the woods seemed to be looking at the plot of the film from an outside view and putting it in a different setting.  I placed Winter's Bone last, not because I didn't like it, but because it often lost my interest either because I didn't know what was happening due to the unknown culture or because it moved slowly, with only one climatic scene (finding Jessup in the lake).